| November 16, 2006 | Thursday | Shawwal 23, 1427 |
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Save our beaches
Point to ponder
Of religious tolerance
PIA in bad shape
Saddam’s trial
How many more?
Bajaur
FM radio
How soon is soon?
Readers are requested to restrict their comments to a maximum of 400 words. We reserve the right to edit letters for reasons of clarity and space. Letters, including those by e-mail, should carry the complete postal address of the sender. The views expressed in these columns do not necessarily reflect the views of the newspaper.—Editor
A debate has recently started as to how we can tackle our energy problem. Professionals have apprehensions, so let us try to “bell the cat” and highlight the major categories where energy wastage must be controlled. These could be as follows:
Industrial installations: Over the years, based on subsidies and other favours, our industries have not caught up with the efficiency requirements of the competitive world we live in. When oil was one dollar per barrel (early 70s), efficiency perhaps was not important but since then all the concerned economies have drastically changed their industrial processes to reduce energy consumption by following best available technologies in each case.
We have ‘slept’ through the critical period and find ourselves in trouble. Major industries are serious contenders for worst example awards. Mega industries like Pakistan Steel are based on obsolete technologies, consuming enormous energy for uneconomical production but base industries like sugar and cement plants are no exception. Whereas sugar plants are all based on gross inefficiency (wasting the precious bagasse in ‘low pressure’ steam generation), cement plants take the cake in first generating power most inefficiently, wasting precious fuel, and then burning more fuel in kilns.
Other major industries like textiles, tyre-making and chemicals must be coerced to follow cogeneration and solve the power shortage problem to a very large extent. Gas companies have a big responsibility in identifying major gas users who are still wasting the nation’s resources by using conventional boilers for steam generation which can easily be converted to cogeneration power plant, releasing many hundreds of megawatts of electric power without any extra fuel consumption for the country’s progress, as well as making big money for themselves.
Thermal power generation: Other than Kot Addu and Guddu, all other thermal power plants are bad examples of gross inefficiency, and we cannot afford the inefficient operation of the KESC’s Bin Qasim plants, Wapda’s Jamshoro power plant and Hub power plant.
It is unfortunate that even at this time thermal power plants being installed have no consideration of efficiency or pollution control and it is sad to see justifications of furnace oil power plant (specially Attock Oil), claiming that “low sulphur furnace oil” is being used, without stating the enormous pollution due to high level of heavy metals, besides NOX and SOX production much in excess of what can be allowed anywhere.
Who is going to stop this madness of using dirty furnace oil without any pollution control? Not our power regulating authority, which has the single ‘distinction’ of approving the world’s most inefficient combined cycle power plant (in Karachi), discharging major effluent at low height, with a jungle of high-rise apartment blocks nearby -– all in direct path of chimney exhaust.
The high rate of pollution, primarily due to dirty furnace oil combined with low-efficiency design, is causing enormous health problems (industrial workers ‘falling sick’ should have created alarms if someone was only collecting data) and resulting lower workers’ production efficiency. Wake-up call urgently needed.
Large buildings: Our large buildings are still being developed with the old concept of energy consumption -– construct any whimsical design, then ‘force’ electrical and mechanical systems to meet the building comfort, lighting and health requirements. The result is obvious and the country’s energy scenario reflects this approach. Every time the weather changes to extremes, we have a total breakdown in our energy systems. In summer, it is airconditioning which results in ‘loadshedding’ to major areas throughout the country and in winter the pace heating requirements result in ‘loadshedding’ of Sui gas, disconnecting essential gas supply to industrial units, causing increased production costs and high pollution due to use of furnace oil fuel.
Major energy usage can be reduced in large buildings if these were constructed to minimum building code requirements. Even the country’s simple building codes, developed in the 80s, would have saved enormous energy if only the parliament had considered this cause worth their ‘precious’ time. The result is most unprofessional approach to building design and construction, and we wish the building professionals would at least follow the American Institute of Architects’ goals for 2030, starting from 2010, which would result in ‘greener’ buildings, using much less energy and with healthier environments.
AINUL ABEDIN
Karachi
THE public in Karachi has access to very few venues for enjoyment and entertainment. The pollution in this metropolitan city is crossing all limits of safety for the citizens. One hopes to get a good dose of clean air at the sea front away from the pollution of the city.
A major treat is the sea- side with families and friends. On my last walk recently along the complete stretch from McDonalds’ restaurant to the other big restaurant near the mouth of Khayaban-i-Itehad almost a three-to-four-kilometre stretch, I had to cross all sorts of litter consisting of several animal carcasses such as that of an abandoned dead donkey, a dead stray dog and a dead turtle among several other dead fish.
There were tons of other garbage on the beach which included at least three to four dozen abandoned shoes, wrappers and other eatables just thrown generously on the beaches. While the public needs to show more responsible behaviour, I found a lot of garbage cans along the wall either overflowing or half full. So it seems that even if the public is using the trash-cans provided, there had been no trash collection or beach clean-up activity for several days.
We do see a lot more development work going on along the beachfront in the DHA. Further, we have the fountain (or do we?) and more recently the Qasim Park that will be inaugurated by the president soon, we hear. What use will all of this be? Development work and a proper sanitation system to support it should go hand in hand and this seems to be missing.
I am proposing the following action to be taken immediately: 1. The DHA/ Clifton cantonment board should rise to their full responsibilities in doing timely garbage and trash collection and beach cleaning. It should be 24/ 7 activity. No excuses. There is plenty of staff.
2. Can the lifeguard unit present at the beachfront also take on a responsibility to ensure a follow-up for timely pick-up of garbage as well as educating the public through mobile loud-speakers to not litter the beach (in limited bursts as who would like additional noise pollution)?
3. The commercial sector, please come forward and exercise your role as socially responsible organisations and spend some amount of your media billings on public awareness campaigns, especially for our beaches, to help keep a clean environment.
4. Enforce strict penalty system in the shape of on-the-spot fines to control and keep the beach area clean.
There are many creative ways to implement beach cleaning. The public and the civic bodies along with large socially responsible corporations need to join hands in getting our beaches clean.
Lastly, I would like to question the DHA/CBC why has the parking fee suddenly increased to Rs20 (doubled in recent past) which is not even printed on the receipts? We would be more than happy to pay this amount if it goes in the right direction, i.e., maintenance of cleanliness at our beaches. Can we get an explanation here?
NAZEEHA HUSSAIN
Karachi
A few days back the staff of Lawrence College, Ghora Galli, met with a tragic accident that caused a loss of two precious lives and terrible injuries to the rest. Seemingly an accident, the poor staff became the victim of sheer callousness of the administration of the institution which refused them an early leave for attending the funeral of their ex-colleague who served the institution for almost 30 years.
After the tenuous duty hours, the staff had to leave for Faisalabad at 5pm to condole with the bereaved family and while returning at midnight the driver’s sleep caused the fatal accident. Even after getting informed about the casualties, the administration did not feel any need to send an in-time relief to the casualties.
It would not be out of place to mention here that the said institution get huge donations from the government for the welfare of staff and students. One of the expired souls spent almost her whole life tending not only her own orphan kids but also a number of young Gallians with great affection and care but the administration is well adept in closing its eyes to such selfless commitment and devotion.
One is forced to ask, does a person who devotes his whole life serving an institution, chiselling out the personality of many a young mind not deserve the least acknowledgement of his/her services? Does a teacher not deserve to be paid homage even after death (as is the custom with us, that is, to appreciate only the dead ones)?
If the administration of an educational institution fails to acknowledge the nobility of this profession and does not accord the teachers their due respect, what can one expect from the tender minds brought up under his jurisdiction? History tells us that only those nations touched the zenith of glory that acknowledged the greatness of this noble task and accorded its teachers the respect they deserved. Alas! If ever will we set our priorities right?
SHAZIA
Rawalpindi
MR Ardeshir Cowasjee’s column (Nov 5) quotes a Zoroastrian priest’s commendable precepts of religious tolerance. History, however, reveals that Dastur Dalla’s predecessors had a record of bloody persecution against third century preacher Mani, who founded and spread agnostic religion, Manichaeism, in Persia and beyond.
Although this creed is now extinct, it rapidly gained adherents in the known world from India to Europe during the period of the Sassanid Empire, when the founding king Ardeshir had declared Zoroastrianism as state religion. Although the excellent successor kings Shahpur and Hormizd of that dynasty allowed Mani and his followers religious freedom, his successful proselytising had aroused the ire of the Zoroastrian Dasturs.
In the reign of Bahram I, they used their political power to imprison and torture Mani, resulting in this prophet’s death in AD 276. The Arab conquest of Persia in Ad 650 was remarkable for its tolerance of the Zoroastrian faith over the next three or four centuries and indeed most of their existing religious texts were written in this period.
It’s another matter that most of the Persian populace under the Safavid rulers found the Zoroastrian faith increasingly irrelevant and turned to Islam. The open religious policies of the western caliphate in Spain are well-known for the flourishing of Christian physicians, Jewish philosophers and the likes.
A review of history thus shows that no religion is intrinsically intolerant and the antagonism to other creeds and peoples that has blighted the human race has its genesis in the threat to their faith that people rightly and wrongly are made to perceive by their co-religionists.
DR RASHID JOOMA
Karachi
I HAVE been following the spate of news reports and letters to the editor in your and other newspapers. The one thing that is confirmed is that PIA is in bad shape, while Mr Adil Ahmed (Nov 15) would like us to believe that “the corporate top gun” will be able to turn the airline around. Unfortunately Mr Kirmani cannot bring any solution to the PIA problem as he himself is part of the problem.
Notwithstanding how he was appointed to head PIA , his competence to lead an airline is questionable. He has been in PIA long enough to uplift his own personal area at the head office. Cronyism is still there as it was previously, so is sifarish/nepotism the prevailing culture.
Mr Adil Ahmed would have us believe that the ban by the EU is protectionism to support their own airlines. This is such an obvious untruth: what European airline comes to Pakistan and which airline is in direct competition to PIA on the European route; also the US direct flight fiasco has nothing to do with the US trying to support its own ‘ailing’ airlines.
The problem with us is that instead of admitting our shortcomings we would like to pass on the blame elsewhere. Unless we look at the problem square in the face, no solution can be sought.
Yes, we can pull out from these challenging times if we do not stack the cards against us ourselves.
MUSHTAQ HUSSAIN MIRZA
Karachi
THE European Union’s warning to PIA must have been preceded by a series of written warnings, following inspections by regulatory agencies of various states comprising the union. This must have been a consequence of inspections for at least two to three years, and written complaints that were not complied with both by the CAA and PIA.
Such irresponsible behaviour by people sitting in positions of authority is unacceptable. The present CEO of PIA alone should not be held accountable, for the airline has other senior executives like DMDs and SVPs, some of whom have been there for past three years or more. As head of PIA, the CEO should have made it his business to understand the gravity of written complaints made by various European regulatory agencies.
This is a malaise that afflicts everybody in power in Pakistan, to gather a group of yes-men around him who sing praises and tell him that everything is OK.
PIA which was once the proud flagship airline of Pakistan has been disgraced by mismanagement, cronyism, corruption and incompetence. There was a time that the unions and associations, which are today silent spectators, would have apprised the management of incoming disaster, even they remained silent. The employees of PIA owed it to this organisation.
Our corporate culture needs to have an in-built system of checks and balances, especially in state-owned corporations where boards of directors are nominees and not persons who have a direct stake. Corporate ethics need to be enforced, and financial irregularities need to be arrested. Had PIA incorporated a responsible corporate culture, what has happened to PIA would not have happened.
Nobody in PIA or the CAA moved till restrictions were imposed and both these organisations were severely reprimanded by the EU. No executive of PIA has been held responsible for destroying the credibility of this airline, which took years to build, but only months to destroy.
Unfortunately the proponents of corporate culture in Pakistan have their own concocted feudal system, where there is no room for dissent or a culture to disagree with the CEO. A head of an organisation who gathers sycophants around him has to face the consequences.
MIR TASSADAQ
Lahore
THIS refers to Mr M. Haroon Rauf’s letter (Nov 15) in response to mine (Nov 9). His points can be strongly disputed. First, just because there are a whole bunch of injustices in the world, a region or a country is no reason why justice should not be done in a case in which it can be done.
Second, just because a government may be headed by a dictator or may be illegitimate in another way does not mean that the judiciary stops working and no criminal is sentenced.
Third, that Americans turned against Saddam is precisely the twist of fate that gave Iraq’s elected government the space to hold Saddam to account. Just because Saddam was once backed by Americans does not mean that he is immune from all the crimes against humanity he committed in Iraq. American motives notwithstanding, Iraqis want justice done to Saddam which opportunity they now have.
Wait till Saddam’s verdict is given in the Anfal case in which he is accused of gassing and killing 100,000 Kurds. Let us see how this verdict will be received.
DR MAHNAZ FATIMA
Karachi
IN his article ‘Musharraf’s magnum opus’ (Nov 14), Sardar Mumtaz Ali Bhutto has articulately encompassed all our woes and pathos. One feels so depressed, awe-struck and wonders how many martial laws we have to live.
As I am experiencing the third in my 38 years of being, I have witnessed the deterioration in the education system, lawlessness in our society , etc., nothing can justify taking away innocent human lives and put behind the bars people who are not convicted and let loose the culprits.
One feels the dire need for those ruling to go through the seven-point agenda on page 149 of the book mentioned by Mr Bhutto.
We need to learn a lesson from Tito’s Yugoslavia where he was one-man single-party state. What fate Tito and Yugoslavia met is not hidden from anyone in this world.
We do need to take a lesson from history and should not become such a strong tree that nothing can grow under us except hate and malice for each other, which destroys even the greener grass.
MUSARRAT TAHIR
Islamabad
IN the wake of the recent Bajaur attack, it seems that the present military regime is unable to defend the borders and territorial sovereignty of Pakistan against US aggression. It has come up with a new tactic to cover up its operational weakness and docility, i.e., own up to any and all US acts of aggressions and excessiveness against Pakistan and then defend it as a military operation against foreign militants.
Bravo to our tough talking yet weak military leadership. The current military regime has brought so much helplessness that that Pakistan today is known as a banana republic that can easily be toyed around and arm-twisted with just one phone call.
This is even evident in President Musharraf’s recent autobiography.
REHMAN GUL
Jackson, USA
ONE would like to profoundly thank the various FM radio stations of Pakistan for presenting special programmes in keeping with the spirit of the holy month of Ramazan. Equally creditable is the fact that greater care was taken by not playing those songs that either had swear words (in case of English music) or were otherwise provocative
On top of it, those few RJs who, in the past sometimes used to pass off-colour remarks or crack jokes unfit for polite company were more discreet this time. All of this had added to pleasure of listening to music.
They should continue exercising care about the type of music they play or the conversations they have. I am sure this will not affect the vast choice of music that is available for playing or the range of subjects that can be discussed. A morally and spiritually strong Pakistan is in everybody’s interest.
A LISTENER
Karachi
VIRTUALLY every time the MMA leadership gives a statement against a government’s certain action, they say that they are ‘soon’ going to launch an anti-government movement. I want to ask them to specify the period soon. Is ‘soon’ one month, six months, one year, or simply never? And if they have no intention of launching such an operation, then they should simply say so as they project themselves as good Muslims. I am sure they know that a good Muslim refrains from empty talk.
M. ZUBAIRI
Karachi
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